They are the standards and the goals.
If your kids are getting disappointed with them here are some thoughts:
`1. do a hunter flat class instead. It’s probably cheaper, it will be in a group with a lot of other beginner kids, and it will be WAY more bad pony green kid friendly
2. Lunge those kid horses in side reins so they are more accepting of contact. That’s why dressage is hard for kids, because they need contact, but kids cant really separate their hands from their legs until like age 12 so unless they are sitting on a made packer or they are riding many many days per week I think “dressage” is hard for them. also super boring for them.
3. Refer to #1, find local shows with these types of classes until they are ready to move up to the dressage class. Also check out the western horsemanship classes - look for an open ranch show - they get a pattern, and showmanship, and halter, and all those fun classes - perfect for kids.
4. Maybe find someone that is not an L grad but a very positive instructor to judge your shows that hands out 6s and 7s to those kids like candy. It’s not a rule that you need an L grad if it’s just a schooling show. I think I got judged by a hunter judge covering a dressage class at a schooling show a few weeks ago!
OP,
I absolutely see the point that I think you’re trying to make here (dressage is harder than some other horse sports to introduce young students to due to a need for more functional basics than most beginners have, even at the lowest USDF level tests, is that something that leads to a lack of interest in dressage as a discipline in younger kids, and can/should USDF do something about that).
As you point out, the flatwork that should let you succeed at low level dressage should be the foundation pretty much all riding disciplines. So, I think to a lot of us, it’s not needed to create different standards of expectations from USDF’s perspective. Like, if you know your horse has a lateral tendency at the canter you don’t expect to get a 7 for any of your canter scores or for USDF to write a test just for horses who are struggling to meet the standards of the test.
I grew up in an eventing barn–so very similar in that to do even the lowest level at a show your skillset had to be above “true beginner”. There were several ways around that that still let us get started showing and excited about the sport:
- In-house shows. These could be judged by your most experienced rider, a trainer/experienced rider at another barn, a parent with background, etc. You also could try and coordinate these with the local schooling dressage shows. I also hope you gave the feedback on language to the pony club judge. They can’t improve if they don’t know others want them to.
-Managing expectations about the shows. Riding with a “fix a test” mindset–two weeks before the show you have the students ride the same test they’ll ride at the show. You judge them. Judge how they would be judged elsewhere. Go over the test with the student and find one or two places to work on for improvement. Maybe it’s nailing the geometry of the circle, or keeping Dobbin in the corner rather than falling in. Maybe it’s nailing the halt. If the most your kiddo could get is a 6, based on where you are in their education, then you as the trainer has the option to not put them in a position to get a score they will not feel great about OR manage expectations up front. Both are totally valid options!
-Go to shows in other disciplines. Go do open shows with the ones that can’t manage a 20m circle with bend yet. Do a poles class at a hunter show. Make it a meaningful day when their riding has progressed enough to “get” to go to a dressage show.
-Volunteer at shows. You learn so much by watching and helping and being part of the team. Get your kids excited about that, too, so they can be a part and learn even without being able to participate (yet).
Best of luck. You sound like you’re trying to do a good job by your kids and your horses. Location can absolutely make it tougher than it would be in other areas.
Dressage is intangible, and hard.
Jumping is tangible and not so hard.
Get over stick = win
Do the local hunter shows…most of them have a lead line class too
When I was a kid there were no local dressage schooling shows (yes, I am that old!). So people entered the local “English” schooling shows. Lots of pleasure and HUS classes. Also lots of riding academies with students on a variety of horses/ponies.
The beginner classes especially were downright dangerous. Too many riders who couldnt steer and cranky horses kicking out. Then, at the end the placings were announced and that was it. No information on what you could improve unless the judge felt like saying something.
Later, when I got into dressage, I loved not having to negotiate dangerous traffic when showing (Warming up is a different issue, especially with beginner event riders) Even better, I always got the test with individual scores and at least some comments!
https://dressage4kids.org/about/
Not only is this program for kids to learn, but also for those that teach kids. I suggest you explore it.
I think there’s a difference that I haven’t seen articulated here about the goals being realistic or scores being realistic.
I’ve brought along a number of young horses and brought a lot of horses into the ring for Intro tests. All horses could walk where they were supposed to walk, trot where they were supposed to trot, and steer. They were more or less consistent in the contact and some were round appropriate for training level. The biggest issues I have seen is that the Intro level test scores often seem completely arbitrary. Judges don’t know how to score Intro and Training level tests. I’ve been awarded plenty of 4s and 5s on lovely horses with comments being that the horse was counter bent or needs to be rounder. I would never show in an Intro or Training level class at a rated show for this reason after seeing friends do this and seeing completely inaccurate scoring. At this point I tell clients and students that showing Intro or Training is just to get horses in the ring and they should consider the scores useless.
Based on what I have seen from that program, unless your goal is Young Riders and you have a talented child and very deep pocketbook, I would not advise parents or coaches to explore the D4K program.
Oh boy have I been there! The judge said afterward “very good decision making.” 
I haven’t seen this issue here in Ontario.
I will chime in here but fair warning, i did not read all 169 replies, so forgive me if someone already pointed this out.
OP - you mention the need for a “show” of some kind to “do something in public”… Generally with other sports like dance (for example), you do recitals to show off your skills to parents, not competitions. Actual sanctioned competition comes later, and only if instructors feel the students are ready (heck bigger studios will hold auditions and not everyone makes the cut to be on the comp team).
So I don’t think anything should change about the “official” rules or guidelines for competing at Intro level. For beginners who want to show off their skills, I think that barns should have musical rides, demos, and in-house “fun” shows judged by the more experienced riders. 
JMHO.
The devil is in the details. To introduce the rider and/or horse to the sport of dressage.
Riders are expected to have acquired basic skills before they take part. Trainers are expected to have the skills necessary to teach the kids.
As a semi-random anecdote about “kids” and low scores - At the youthful age of 22 (with 10+ years of H/J experience and minimal exposure to dressage) I lent my jumper mare to a friend to take to a local dressage schooling show. She came back with a blue ribbon, score sheet containing the collective comment “VERY athletic horse!” and a score of 46%. Figured a 46% must be good if she got a blue ribbon and merrily reported it on Facebook with pride and exclamation points 
Now a full time dressage rider, I wish I had saved that score sheet… I don’t even remember what level they were trying for.
But yes, to the OP, it sounds like writing a “test” of what you’d like your kids to know at their stage (loved the idea of having a theory section) and earning badges is a great idea. Find an experienced rider who likes kids to judge and discuss goals/expectations with them ahead of time.
That’s a coaching issue.
Part of setting any student up for showing successfully includes teaching the meaning of scores, that other competitors will have more experience or better horses, etc. Setting show goals unrelated to where in the order they finish, and celebrating the achievement of those goals or coming up with a plan for practicing for next time.
I wonder why the OP has anonymized her profile. I hope no one was threatening to dox her.
She stopped responding a while back; I thought maybe she didnt get the responses she expected to get and was just done.
That is bizarre. My guess is the answers didn’t go the way she expected them to go. No reason to dox someone over having a interesting take on lessons and dressage tests.
And my question: why make your young students go to all the expense of a USDF show when they’re at Intro (if that)? If there aren’t any local schooling shows with appropriate classes (H/J flat, 4H, etc), then have your own “show”. It doesn’t have to be a huge deal, but a special day for kids to show their families what they’ve learned.
I don’t think it matters one way or the other.
It matters if someone was threatening her.
I wasn’t clear, my point was that if she wanted to anonymize her profile who is anyone to question why.
That said, I didn’t see anything in this thread where anyone was threatening to dox her. From what I’ve seen, those threats are usually made in a post first.
